Removed From Society
by Inspiration On A Stick
Summary: AU- After WWII, it became a law among that gods that any child of the Big Three was to be killed; no exceptions. Percy Jackson is one of four children to escape the wrath of Olympus and learn of a prophecy that forecloses the destruction of Olympus. He and his small band of children of the Big Three are forced to make a decision that could alter the state of the entire world.
1. Another Dawn

I do not own Percy Jackson. And in a fight, there's no doubt in my mind that he'd own me.

_Aloha ladies and gentlemen... and any dolphins that I recommended this site to. This is going to be my first story I put out, and it's going to be based around the Big Three__'s kids. So this story will feature the center action around: Percy Jackson (Poseidon), Thalia Grace (Zeus), Nico Di Angelo (Hades) and Bianca Di Angelo (Hades). Yes, Bianca will be alive for this story, BUT Nico will still have the same personality. You'll find out why as the story progresses.  
_

_So I'd really like to see reader support and input, so if you'd like to see something within the story, (and possibly sequel depending on how this story plays out) please leave a review stating the request, or PM me. No flaming will be tolerated, however, and demands are not going to be considered. Any sort of reader recognition (alerts, reviews and favorites) are good ways of getting me to update faster, although the updates will still come. _

_The universe will be AU, and the Romans exist, they just will not be featured yet. _

_Percy will be 17, Thalia will be 17, and Nico will be 10 with Bianca being 12. I'm not great at little kids and how they act for their ages, so please bear with me, and if necessary, I'll fix the ages._

_Finally, there is a poll in my profile that asks an extremely important question. I'd seriously advise answering it, because it WILL change the entire outcome of the story. There are a few choices... each one with the different story path! So answer! _

_This first chapter is going to be short, but please, enjoy!_

* * *

_Chapter 1_

_Another Dawn_

_Percy Jackson_

I hate gathering firewood. It's probably the most boring task that exists. Last I checked, my dad's powers revolved around putting fires _out- _not starting them.

My dad, for those of you who are... _normal _people, is known by many names. Barnacle Beard (he's not too pleased with that one), the King of the Horses (I think he _still_ takes pride in that), Aqua-Man (from time to time, he gets that one, and I'll vouch for him that it's his least favorite) and even the Earthshaker (definitely his favorite).

To me, he's _dad_. Or, aloud, 'father'. To the rest of the world, he's Poseidon- God of the Seas. One of the Big Three on Olympus.

And I am his son, Percy Jackson. His _illegal _son.

The Big Three, Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades, were all banned from having children back at the end of World War II. I want to blame the Gods and Goddesses for that choice, but part of me admits that we- the children of the Big Three- are a _bit _too strong. Okay; we're unbelievably strong considering our naturally inherited abilities.

Our abilities were diverse, yeah, but we still had some pretty amazing gifts. I know I, for one, can manipulate water, heal myself of minor injuries and some poisons when submerged in water, along with teleport short distances in water. I also have an uncanny sense of direction when on a boat, and can completely control it with my mind. I can create mini-hurricanes during fights, and even bring about earthquakes.

Oh... and I can talk to horses. Not _as _useful, but it can be useful... and annoying.

And as I said, anything fire-related is slightly out of my skill-set. So that leaves me to gather sticks and kindle... by hand. And then light it. By hand. Not really my definition of fun on a Sunday night in the outskirts of Los Angeles. But hey; at least I've got some company and entertainment.

"Wow; welcome back Kelp Head. I'm shocked you managed to remember what a stick is."

Take that back; just my entertainment. Screw company.

I rolled my eyes as I walked over to the small hole dug out in the sandy-dirt. Without care, I opened my arms and let the sticks and kindle tumble from my hands. For the most part, they fell into the pit- but a few sparse sticks landed on my feet and I kicked them toward my 'friend' in retaliation for her comment. Yep; it's a _her_.

"Hey!" She yelped, knocking the flying debris away with her wrist. "Cut it out fish-face!"

I grinned. "I don't see what I can cut."

She frowned and scowled over at me. "Smart-ass." She said as she brushed the remaining sticks into the pit. Then, without warning me (not like she would have) she snapped her fingers next to the sticks and a few stray sparks flew from her fingers.

Static electricity.

How could I have forgotten that?

"There," She said happily. "Fire's going and I found us some food."

Reaching into her small black fanny-pack, she removed a bag of unnamed chips. Some small brand company, I think. It didn't matter to me- I greedily tore the bag open and poured some onto my hand. I tossed them into my mouth and savored the salty, bland taste of the "Original" 'flavor'. Even though I enjoyed cheese or anything more than original, I sighed jovially as I felt my stomach quell with food.

"Thanks, Thalia," I mumbled between bites. She gave me small smile that looked more like a smirk.

"Hey; I never fail." And that was that. I chuckled a bit, but went back to eating and we ate in silence. The only noise came from cars over in the streets a few blocks away, and the crackle of the fire. I can't say it wasn't enjoyable- not that I minded Thalia talking, but sometimes, silence really is golden. Especially since it meant we were safe- or about to be ambushed. Usually safe, though.

You're probably wondering the story between Thalia and I. Well, that story is for another day.

I began to gaze into the red-orange fire, watching the small embers fly from the flames and drift to their destiny of being extinguished. I wondered if Thalia and I represented those embers; separated from the fires of society, only doomed to be extinguished once we hit the ground. Would there even be a cause for our running?

"Hey Perce," Thalia said, breaking the silence. I broke my stare with the fire and looked over at Thalia. Her dark black hair, growing long without being cared for, fell in front of her electric blue-eyes. She didn't bother to brush it away, however. Instead, she gazed into her lap as she sat, hunched over. She opened her mouth to speak, but before she did, she seemed to consider something and close her mouth.

I could almost see the question shining in her eyes, but there was something that blocked it from coming out. I was in-between asking her what her question was, and letting it slide- after all, it _was _Thalia. I had learned the painful way to not pressure her into anything.

Finally, just before I decided to ask her, she spoke. "What do you want to do in Los Angeles?"

I frowned. Thalia refused to look at me, instead keeping her gaze on her legs. I knew that wasn't her question, but I also knew whatever it _really _was, was lost with her.

"I guess I wanna hit up some local sights. I mean, we _are _in the City of Angels. There's gotta be some sort of cool things to see." I paused a moment. "And maybe we can find a good restaurant to hit."

I couldn't miss the longing smile that flickered on Thalia's face as I mentioned food. Both of us were saps for a good meal- and for two wanted offspring, food was almost impossible to get. We couldn't even scrounge up enough money to get a soda from a machine on most days. Still though, the prospect was enough to invigorate our cause.

"That doesn't sound too bad," Thalia said teasingly. I chuckled softly. I knew that we usually disagreed on what to do- this was one of the few times we had a similar idea. "I guess we can do what you want- this time."

"That's nice of you!" I said sarcastically, but jokingly. Thalia, being the cool, snark-y chick that she was, decided she could play along.

She gave me the same smile I had given her- fake and too large- before speaking. "I know; so don't get used to it!"

I rolled my eyes and laid back. The location we'd picked was, admittedly, awful. It was sandy, even with grass and dirt topping the sand. I wasn't sure if we were in Los Angeles or on the beach... but since I'd picked, I knew I couldn't complain or Thalia would _never _let me live down this decision. Plus, I'd never get to pick again.

Still though, being a son of the seas did have its perks as I tried to imagine myself laying on a sandy beach- or near one. It didn't really work, but I felt the slight tingle of relaxation course through my body and relax my muscles. My eyelids grew slightly heavier and suddenly, the world seemed less in-tune with me.

Thalia, obviously, had the same idea I did, because as I began to yawn, I heard her voice ask me a question that the real Thalia wouldn't ask.

"Perce?" I frowned; that wasn't her tough, confident voice she had with me. That was her drowsy, sleepy Thalia voice.

And part of me hated that voice. It was her moment of weakness- that moment that I had to make a big choice each time... even if she never remembered that choice consciously. It was like a second-Thalia, and only sleepy-Thalia could remember what I said to her in these instances.

"Are we going to be okay? Will..." She paused to yawn. "Will we find a safe spot?"

I was silent for a minute, contemplating my choices. I glanced over quickly, fighting off the fatigue and catching a glance of Thalia's closed eyes. Despite that, I knew she was still 'awake' and semi-coherent- and also awaiting my answer.

I struggled internally for a second, but finally answered. "Yeah; we'll be fine. We just gotta... keep movin', that's all. We'll find someplace. I know it."

"Good..." She mumbled, before I heard her softly begin to snore. I almost smiled at how innocent she became, but my mind that was once clouded with fatigue was now fully-awake and thinking. And regretting- it was doing a lot of regretting.

Thalia was the _only _person I could trust. Not even my dad, or her dad, could be trusted, because as far as we knew, that hadn't done a thing to help us thus far. We were on our own and surviving with one another. There was no one else. So when she asked me those sorts of questions, I always struggled on the truth versus reality.

Were we really going to be okay? Were we going to find a safe place? I- no, check that. _We _both held our heads high and our innocent walls up in regards to our chances. We both, deep-down, knew that there was nowhere safe we could hide. There was nowhere we could go to escape our heritage. We were doomed from the minute we were born.

But that didn't mean we couldn't try. So, we set out with the goal of finding a place that only we could get to- and only we could dwell upon. We'd be safe from other hostile demigods, and any sort of monsters. To say all would be pressing our luck beyond impossible, but for now, it was only extremely improbable. Not yet impossible.

Still though; each day we didn't seem to be getting any closer to finding a safe-haven. Even more so, we were scrounging on nothing and our bodies weren't immortal like the gods were. We had limits- and sooner or later, one of us would break down. Thalia had the benefit of the doubt- she'd done far more traveling than I had, and had done a cross-country trek before with her first team.

But I had the stronger body- not to brag. We both knew I was more durable and able to take much more abuse than she could- it was just her slightly more delicate frame due to her size. If one of us had to get hurt, I'd rather it be me, since I'd walk it off slightly better. Especially since I could later heal it with water.

In the end, we'd likely break down at the same time, if not extremely close. That dreaded day seemed to be looming...

I almost whispered 'sorry' to the sleeping daughter of Zeus; I had basically lied. And we trusted each other with our lives... I shouldn't be the one lying like that. But what would truth bring? So far, it had brought us nothing but trouble. In fact; it was _because _of truth that we got trusted into such deep trouble and into our bleak situation.

Lying wasn't ideal; but the truth was even worse.

I sighed; no day was ever easy, it seemed.

Before I could close my eyes again; I took notice of our conscious and unconscious states, before swearing under my breath.

"Guess I'll take first watch..."


	2. City of Sleeping Angels

Surprise! I still don't own Percy Jackson; cause that's such a gigantic shock...

_Chapter 1 was a pretty big success because I actually got readers! Awesome! I'd love to thank anyone who favorited/alert/reviewed, cause you guys are a huge reason that I find motivation to write. Moving on, here's a few things about the story:_

_I am going to be writing first-person perspective, switching off from Percy and Thalia. That's all, actually. But every two or three chapters. The characters MAY be slightly OCC, but I'll work on it if it's too much. I'll take the chapter down and work on that if needed. _

_I'm also going to be describing Thalia and Percy as how I view them in my imagination based upon some descriptions from the books. So they may be off, but very close. _

_**Remember, there is a poll! You really should vote if you haven't!**_

_So that's all, actually, so without further ado, here's..._

_CHAPTER 2!_

* * *

_Chapter 2_

_The City of Sleeping Angels__  
_

_Percy Jackson_

Have you ever slept so soundly that you didn't wake up for anything, and the person who woke you up faced a living nightmare as you were cranky? I'd love to say I experienced that, but sadly, I didn't. In fact, I didn't even get to sleep. I was too busy covering Thalia's watch. Why, you ask, was I doing her watch? If it was her watch, shouldn't _she _be doing it?

Well, your answer is this: I'm a nice guy. So much, in fact, that it hurts.

My watch had expired around 3 in the morning, and I was absolutely ready to wake Thalia up for her watch, and then just crash. It was supposed to be just another routine switch; she'd throw something at me, and then curse under her breath about "stupid kids of Poseidon" before she'd begrudgingly take on the roll of being the watcher. It was all a routine.

But when I went over to where Thalia was sleeping, I looked at her and something inside my chest felt like lead. I don't know _why _I just noticed it; but I feel horrible that it took me as long as it did to notice it now. Thalia looked like crap- no offense to her.

As I'd come to know her, she wasn't _as _big as I was, but she was always a tough customer, I'd found. She hadn't ever been _fat,_ but she had a few belly curves which actually suited her well. You couldn't tell if she was wearing a shirt, but I'd seen her in torn shirts before and had noticed it in the past. It wasn't fat, but I'd call it slightly chubby? I don't know- girls are tough to describe like that.

But she'd had meat and she was healthy. Her hair was dark and spiked, but it had a certain luster to it that was a sign that she was healthy. Her electric blue eyes could glisten in the sunlight and were always radiant; and her skin, pale as it was, was a healthy sort of cream. She wasn't white like a sheet, but she wasn't tanned like I was either- surprising if you considered her father.

To put it simply; she had the whole punk-rock thing going well. And for people who were very assumptive, I did hear that she was "emo" looking. I wouldn't go that far, but still, I don't think she cared.

Getting back on track, when I'd gone over to her earlier, she hadn't looked like that at all.

Her skin seemed to be slightly red in some areas- I couldn't tell if it was from sunburn (we _had _been outside a bit too much recently) or if it was a rash from clothes... maybe skin-infection from a scuffle we'd gotten into with some demigods hunting us? I honestly couldn't tell- I would have needed a closer look to be able to distinguish it; and it was mostly hidden from sight underneath her black leather jacket. Judging by her clothes- a black jacket, with a loose black undershirt, and black pants- I could assume that she wasn't in travel clothes, per-say, and that it was a rash from the clothes rubbing against her skin.

I had winced when I saw it and knew I'd have to bring it up with her. That wasn't it, however.

She also had a few cuts and bruises that had turned a nice shade of blackened-blue, along with a dullness to her skin. Her hair was now started to seem gritty and less alive than it had been before. Her eyes, though not open, had dark bags underneath of them- presumably from pressing her body on during fatigue. Her stomach was becoming thinner and thinner- but that was obvious on both of us. Her ribs weren't quite showing yet- I _had _checked that- but I knew she was beginning to lose weight.

I was, before we started the journey, pretty unfit for a demigod. As of now, I'd like to think that I had gotten more fit- I was lean, for one. No ribs showing, thankfully, but I knew my time was coming soon, as well.

Long story short- we were both deteriorating in terms of health and _needed _a salvation.

So, in order to help her condition be slightly stifled, I had decided to let her get more sleep and hopefully find a small reserve of energy. I knew I could survive one night of watch- even if it ended up being extremely difficult. Thalia had lead us so far- it was time I began to give back to her.

Thus, I took on her shift which leads us to the present.

I yawned, but suppressed the overwhelming urge to curl up and just sleep. I knew I was probably being paranoid- we both were- but I couldn't shake the feeling that once we both went to sleep, some sort of monster or enemy demigod would pop up and try to murder us. It was about survival first; and our survival would be preserved through our decisions of the wise.

_"Perseus..."_

I blinked. Did I just imagine that?

_"Oh, Perseus..." _I blinked again, shaking my head slightly. I _knew _I wasn't hearing that- it had to be some sort of hallucination. There was no one around us... at least, no one I could see...

I waited a moment for the sing-song voice to speak again, but I found nothing speak but the blood in my ears. I hadn't noticed it, but my fatigue had magically vanished once my body became nervous. Thank you adrenaline.

I stood up, being sure not to wake up Thalia (who was an extremely heavy sleeper, as it turned out), and looked around slowly. My fingers darted to my side where I kept my sword- an unbalanced hunk of steel that was completely useless in slaying monsters. As it turned out, steel swords had no effect on mythological creatures such as monsters- thus was only good for blocking their attacks at most.

But they worked perfectly fine on humans and demigods- so that was enough for me to hold onto it. Despite it being unbalanced in my hands, I knew I had _something _to fall back onto. My fingers brushed against the rough hilt, feeling the worn leather rub uncomfortably against my fingertips. I could almost feel more callouses forming.

I didn't care though; I had one goal and one thing on my mind. Protect myself and Thalia if it came to a fight.

Then, before I could react, I heard the voice again. _"Perseus, why do you adopt such an aggressive stance? I mean you no harm..." _

I growled lowly. "Then why not reveal yourself?"

I wondered if I _wanted _to see this thing. So far, I'd learned that sweet voices and "nice" sounding females resulted in absolutely hideous monsters and far more vicious predators than a Hellhound. I think there's a pattern there, as well.

There was a giggling-like noise, followed by a soft gust of wind. The dust around us, along with the very few trees that covered our presence in the mini-forest blew in each direction, before a figure appeared, levitating a few inches above the dusty ground. The wind halted, and the dust stopped flowing, before I finally got a good look at the figure in my presence.

She, yes, I can assume it was a she, had a large white gown on that went from her shoulders to past her feet. It was simple, but extravagant. There was a slight glow that she cast, which made the white fabric seem yellow, or slightly intangible to me, but I could see the patches of white within my blinks and squints. The only part that intrigued me was the smell of nature that surrounded her... I don't know why, but it smelled like the prairie of Kansas...

"You see, Perseus?" She asked with a large smile. She held her hands out, which I'm sure was meant to seem peaceful and awe-striking, but to me, it seemed like a show-boating move and I didn't like it. "I am no threat."

I kept my stance; something in my gut told me I shouldn't trust this woman. She was... two-faced, it seemed.

"How do you know my name?" I asked first, deciding to skip over the ever-typical question of '_who are you?'_. It never got answered truthfully, anyways.

Instead of telling my right away, she just smiled which threw off my nerves even more. "The better question is, how don't you know _mine_?"

I frowned in frustration- leave it to a mystical apparition to not answer my question and to ask her own. Seriously; was it written in Greek legend that if you weren't mortal, that you had to avoid any questions asked and just ask your own? That, and speaking in riddles both irritated the life out of me.

"Maybe I do," I boldly (and stubbornly) said. She raised an eyebrow, that cocky smile still on her face.

"Oh?" She sang. "And what might it be?"

I snorted. "You didn't answer mine; why should I answer yours?"

Finally, her smile vanished and was replaced with a frown of her own, to match mine. Her eyes, once peaceful and almost translucent, were now dark and solid. Her body seemed to glow brighter but become more solid- if only more, a warning. A warning I would gladly ignore.

"You should be more careful, Perseus. You wouldn't wish to offend any higher-beings, would you?"

Obviously, this woman did not know me. I had basically made it my mission to offend as many gods and goddesses as I could at this point- the occasion giant or spirit didn't hurt, either.

"Uh, let me think about that," I said rhetorically. I put my finger to my chin and tilted my head slightly, as if I was pretending to think. Judging by the scowl that was now on her face, I could tell my job of irritating was now beginning to succeed. "Yes, I _would_ wish that. Do I get two more wishes?"

The hiss that escaped the woman's lips was well worth my earlier frustration. The second I heard the hiss, my sword was out and held in a defensive position in front of my body. My body had readjusted so that I was also repositioned in front of Thalia. Speaking of the mighty daughter of Zeus- she was still asleep. Completely out of it.

"Beware, Perseus... you continue to make enemies you cannot hope to defeat. You continue to defy the desires of the Olympians, in hope that your quest will be successful. There is a _reason _you and that girl were not supposed to be born. You are a danger to everyone and everything- you upset the balance of nature, and thus, you will kill all that befriend you. Spare yourself the fight that you will lose- give up, Perseus. Give up."

Before I could say a word, the being in front of me began to glow brighter- and for some reason, I felt my body begin to grow extremely hot. My eyes began to burn, but the muscles and molecules inside my body felt... almost like they were about to burst. My limbs began to ache and my head began to pound. In a weak effort to stifle the pain, I put my arm over my eyes and dropped to my knees, hoping that the pain would subside.

And once the wind stopped, surprisingly, the pain faded from my body. My limbs ached a bit and there was an exhausted feeling that swooped through me, but otherwise, I was actually okay and alive.

I stood, rooted to my spot, for a minute before my legs seemed to give out underneath my body and I fell into a semi-sitting position. I was breathing deeply on instinct- I wasn't even aware I was being starved of oxygen... or was I? I noticed just how sweaty my palms had gotten, as well. There were a few other things I noticed that were off, but the biggest thing was the fact that I wasn't attacked.

That was one extremely short encounter...

But it couldn't stop my wondering; _who _was that? She said that I should have known her- which doesn't surprise me too much as there's a lot of people I should know in a world where Greek myths still run around like they own the place- but it was painfully, and nauseatingly, obvious that I didn't. The fact that she hadn't attacked was just a stroke of luck.

It was a spontaneous, short stroke of luck...

Much like the very basis of our survival thus far.

Speaking of survival, I glanced over my shoulder to Thalia. Her body, which had somehow been spared of the dust, was curled up in her fetal sleeping position and easily told me that she was _still _sleeping. Even throughout that whole encounter, she remained asleep? How?

"Thalia?" I called as I prepared myself for a fist to the shoulder for disturbing her slumber.

It never came.

"Thalia?" I asked again, this time, turning all the way around to look at her. My breathing had been reduced back to practically normal; the gasps of air ceasing. Yet, still, Thalia didn't answer my calls or noise.

I pulled myself to my feet and unsteadily staggered over to her spot. Whatever that being did when glowing, completely wiped me out of energy.

"Hey," I said, plopping down next to Thalia. I brushed a strand of her black hair away from her eyes and tucked it behind her ear. "Thals, c'mon. It's time to get up, lazy." I threw in the 'lazy' for good measures. For some reason, my body slightly tingled when I touched Thalia's skin... I could chalk it up to the static or something Zeus-related but... it didn't _feel_ like electricity. It felt like something else...

Just as I was about to check for a pulse, Thalia slightly stirred. Her eyes fluttered open a moment before she clamped them closed again as the morning sun broke through the treetops.

"I don't wanna get up..." Thalia muttered quietly. I smiled slightly, but the back part of my brain wished I was in a mischievous mood so I could get back at Thalia for every time she'd ended up hitting me. Still though, I knew I needed to recap this morning to her, and we needed to move before we were found by someone less than helpful.

I shook her slightly. "You have to, we've got places to go, things to see."

She was silent a moment before her jaw locked and I realized two things; one, she was awake. Two, she was within punching distance.

"Percy?"

"No. It's... someone you like?" I futilely said.

Five seconds later, I had a bruise on my left shoulder and I was on my back. I was also swearing enough to make a sailor blush.

"What have I told you about waking me up?" Thalia asked grumpily as she laid up. She yawned loudly, exposing her surprisingly white teeth, before stretching out and cracking a few bones. "That, _and _standing so close to me when I wake up!"

I wanted to snap at her, but my anger ebbed away as, once again, I saw the hidden features of her conditions. The dark bags, although slightly faded, were still present underneath her eyes. Her skin was _still _paper white and there were still hidden bruises and fatigue that was probably evident in her body. Even though I _wanted _to get angry, I couldn't.

That good part of me was once again taking over my actions.

"Is there something on my face? What's up, Jackson?" I almost winced as Thalia had discovered my staring. She'd also probably been deterred by my lack of retort to her punch. It wasn't like me; I knew that, and so did she. "C'mon, fish got your tongue?"

"I... I, uh, no, sorry." I winced internally again. I didn't usually say sorry to her. Not unless I was shaken (like now). Thalia raised an eyebrow. "It's been an odd morning."

Thalia snorted. She opened her mouth to speak, but her stomach loudly spoke for her. She chuckled, instead of getting embarrassed. "Well then you're going to have to explain over breakfast."

* * *

I hate awkward silences, like the one we were having. Not only had I told Thalia about me covering for her shift (though I conveniently skipped over _why _I did so), but I also mentioned the crazy-angry woman that had paid me a visit whilst she slept. The frown that crossed her face was a deep, contemplating frown that was analyzing every possible scenario.

After a few moments of passed silence, and the disposal of her granola bar wrapper, Thalia finally spoke. "You said it was a woman... did she have _any _odd characteristics? From what you described, she sounds like a goddess, but I don't really know of a goddess of 'poor-prophecy' or 'blatant-truth'."

I wreaked my brain for information, trying to recall the smallest things about our encounter.

"Uh, she had a melodic voice?" I recalled hesitantly. The look on Thalia's face prompted me to go silent and just shrug in the hope that I wouldn't get some form of sarcastic taunting. "Sorry, but it was only a minute or two; I didn't actually get to see her much either. I told you, it felt like my energy was being sapped."

Thalia nodded slightly. "That's true; I just don't... BAH! I hate this!" Thalia smashed her fists onto the table we were seated at, prompting random people to look over and stare at us. The small food-court area we'd picked outside of some restaurant seemed, at first, to be a great place to eat and talk- now, not so much.

"Why can't we go _anywhere _without being told we're mistakes!? Can't we just... _live_ without having to worry about death!"

I silently agreed, but knew it best to let her vent her anger. Thalia's anger wasn't worth my own agreement; she knew I was on her side completely. Still though, I hated it, too. It _wasn't _fair. We hadn't done anything intentionally wrong, nor had we chosen to be born. We'd just... been born and from there, our fates already seemed sealed.

Why couldn't we try and change it?

"I hate this... it _sucks._"

Thalia took a few deep breaths to calm her rant, and to allow other people to go back to their scheduled activities, not even aware they were in the presence of two of the most powerful teenagers of their day. Ah, we owe the Mist quite a bit.

We went back into silence, and that's how we stayed. Neither of us knew what to say- even though there was nothing we _could_ say. We'd been thrust into a war we hadn't accepted or asked for. And we, without a doubt, were on the losing side. Hell, we _were _the losing side- it was a two person battle against everyone. Us two against the world and more.

What were the odds of success?

Zero to none?

"Why did you do that?"

I shook my head slightly, snapping out of my revere. "What?" I didn't know I'd done anything.

Thalia studied me a moment with her narrow eyes and dissecting look, but asked again. "Why did you do _that_?"

I was at a loss for words- what was _that?_ What was I doing... or better yet, what did I do?

"That?" I asked slowly. A flash of irritation flashed onto Thalia's face and I almost wanted to burst out, "_WHAT IS THAT?!" _but I knew it wouldn't get us anywhere. We needed tact... skillful tact. "What is that?"

Nailed it.

"You let me sleep! You didn't wake me up for my shift, even though we both know you _love _sleeping! Why didn't you wake me up!?" I blinked a few times, trying to gather my bearings after Thalia's short rant. Had I known it would cause her this much anxiety, truth-be-told, I probably wouldn't have told her and would've just waited for her to ask me why I didn't wake her up.

Not... _this_.

Oh great; she's got me doing it, too...

"I dunno," I mumbled. I could practically feel my face heating up and I didn't know _why_. Thalia was a good friend, yeah, but why did I find it so... embarrassing to tell her my rational? "You looked... tired." I finished lamely.

She looked at me for a second, her blue eyes studying me intensely, before she spoke again.

"Tired...? That was your reasoning?"

I couldn't tell if that was a surprised tone or an unsatisfied one. Still though, honesty was the only policy I had at this point, so it was best to stick with it.

I shuffled uneasily in my metal chair. Why we'd picked metal was beyond me. "Yeah, I mean, you looked really worn down and exhausted... I figured I could be a nice guy for once and let you sleep, you know?"

Thalia, and I for that matter, suddenly found a lot more interest in the table's surface as she looked down. I ended up seeing something interesting on the ground and began to intently stare at it, neither of us saying anything. The warm, thick air of Los Angeles swarmed around us, and my black shirt suddenly began to feel ten times heavier. It didn't help that I was wearing long blue jeans to match.

"So..." I said after a moment, catching Thalia off-guard. "Wanna find a pool?"

She looked at me as if I was crazy, before giving me a small smile. "Yeah," she said, her tone going back to its normal state. "Let's go fish-face, we could use the cool-down."

We both stood up and stretched out a bit. The chairs made a loud grinding noise on the pavement as I pushed mine back, and I almost chuckled at the glares I received in payment. I fanned my shirt a bit and opened the collar to get some air onto my chest; figures that we'd walk into LA without clothes that actually suited the atmosphere.

Without speaking, I gestured for Thalia to lead the way out of the small dining pavilion. She shot me a smirk and gave me a 'curtsey' before walking in front of me, leading the way. Honestly, neither of us knew where to go, but still, anything would be able to suck up time until we could figure out where we were going in _life_.

"Excuse me!" A woman's voice came, catching both Thalia and I off-guard. I turned my head to see a woman standing next to our table. "I need to talk to you two."

* * *

_And that is how you come out swinging from the first chapter. Yeah, I know, there's absolutely no time there for anything to get developed much. I came out hard and the pace may be fast, but it'll slow down possibly later on. I don't know how many chapters to expect, but things are going to get fun! Remember, no flaming or criticizing the way I write. If it seems OCC, I'll fix it, I promise. Just let me know kindly. I hate negative comments; they're unnecessary most of the time..._

_Thank you though, and remember to check the poll out on my profile. _

_Final note: I am considering writing a story on the Norse-aspect of the mythology of PJ. So far, the Greeks found the Romans, but we know there must be more... so I'm contemplating a Norwegian/Scandinavian culture coming into a story with another threat, yada-yada. Let me know if you'd read that... it would have an OC but it wouldn't be a mary-sue, I do know how to write OC's. So lemme know! Thanks guys!_


	3. Mission: Rescue

Disclaimer: I still, shockingly, do not own Percy Jackson. What a huge shocker this is, right?

_So the attention upon this story continues to grow- I'm quite pleased with that! I'm really hoping this is one of those highly-regarded stories as we move forward! So thank you for all the support early on, and I know I wouldn't be doing this if not for you all!_

_Outside of that, just like to toss a thanks to Blueper (check out his stories, I like em!) and Urias Invictus (he's got a small AU going too, looks shweet) for their help in a future story that should be about as original as it gets. This idea is in progress and we'll see just how it turns out- so stay tuned! _

_Here's chapter 3 (also, last one in Percy's POV for 3 chapters)._

* * *

_Chapter 3  
_

_Mission: Rescue  
_

_Percy Jackson_

I got one good look at this woman, and I can tell you right now, she looked like someone I wouldn't want to trifle with. It wasn't her accent that slightly lingered on her words, nor the deep, scathing look she cast upon us as we froze in place; it was her aura- it was like something you'd find in the Underworld... even though I've never been there, this is what I imagined it to feel like.

Her skin was olive-like, and her dark hair was pulled back and hid, for the most part, underneath a black tipped hat. She wore a long, sleek, black dress that went down past her ankles and two white gloves. She also had a necklace on that reminded me strikingly of pearls from an oyster. The look in her eyes was warm and kind, yet, stern and dangerous. Like she wasn't going to take any attitude.

In a short summary; she was old-fashioned.

"You two; come. I require a word with the both of you." Without so much as waiting for us, she turned her back to us and began to slowly- and deliberately- walk the opposite direction out onto the street. Thalia and I exchanged a glance that simply said '_Do we go?_'. I was skeptical, something I sense Thalia was too, but we both made our way after the woman.

She hadn't slowed her pace, but we caught up relatively quickly. It wasn't too hard to catch up to a woman in heels.

She didn't look at us, she just kept her gaze forward; yet, for some reason, I could feel her somehow looking at me. Examining me for something. I wasn't sure, but she felt very familiar, in a weird way.

We walked in silence, everyone avoiding the woman and walking around her as if she was some big-time movie star- which, for all purposes, she could have been. We _were _in the City of Angels, after all. It wouldn't have been impossible to come into contact with a movie-star. Although, what they would want with us was rather pointless.

I was fine with the silence; it gave me time to think. Thalia, however, was _not _okay with it and made that perfectly clear. "What do you want? Who are you?"

The woman smirked slightly, and I could practically see the steam shooting from Thalia's ears.

"All in due time, my dear." Was all she said. Thalia was less than pleased with that answer, but to me, it just served to further intrigue my interest. I knew I should have been scared- we were walking to a random, unknown place to talk to a woman who had purposely sought us out, just for the sake of her asking. It was stupid.

But we were demigods; everything we did that worked was stupid.

"Come," the woman said as we approached an old motel. I felt a pang of worry creep its way into my chest. What would happen if we went with her? Thalia seemed to be thinking the same thing, because she gave me a glance that spelled out "worry". "Do not worry; I am not going to harm you."

That wasn't good enough for me.

"I need you to swear it. On the River Styx." The woman looked surprised, but mildly impressed.

"My husband would be proud of that... very well; I swear on the River Styx that no harm will befall you if you come with me." I glanced over at Thalia who shrugged as thunder rumbled above us. I sighed.

"Okay; we'll go."

The woman nodded, satisfied, as she led us through the trashed, abandon lobby. It looked as if a tornado had come through this room specifically- there were papers scattered all about the floor, dust lined the walls and railings, the tile flooring was cracked and showing in some areas and the ceiling could stand replacement. In all, I would have given the motel a single star- if that.

We wisely chose to take the stairs to the second level, before she led us to room 42. Instead of putting a key in, or trying to break open the lock, she just twisted the dented brass handle and pushed the door open. I didn't know those doors didn't automatically lock, but to be honest, the motel was in such bad shape that it was possible the lock just corroded away.

The room, although small, was actually in decent shape compared to the rest of the motel. There was only one bed, but a small television was set on a wooden stand in front of the television. There was also a nightstand next to the bed with a lamp on it. The kitchen was small but clean and void of any stains, animals or mold.

"Can I get you two anything?" the woman asked as she carelessly strolled into the kitchen. I noticed she hadn't taken her shoes off, which was interesting. I figured heels would be removed as soon as possible. "There's water and a few types of soda, if you'd like something to drink?"

Usually, my ADHD brain would go immediately for a soda and the sugar inside, but for the first time, my body almost screamed for the water. Now, I'd come to easily realize my powers worked in conjunction with water- I could heal with it. That included others. But only if I was properly hydrated and rested, I'd come to learn. I hadn't slept well, and I wasn't drinking much, so my healing powers had fizzled out, which left me unable to heal in water.

So when I heard water, I almost shot toward the bottle.

"Water," I said. "Please." I even added at the end. The woman smiled warmly at me- which actually felt... nice- and kindly took out two waters just for me. I was almost ready to hug her.

Thalia was about to answer when a loud growl sounded throughout the room. We all glanced at Thalia's stomach. She blushed a cherry-red. "Would you happen to have anything to eat?"

The woman turned into the pantry and examined it as she opened it. Although there wasn't much within, I immediately began to drool when I saw the snacks contained within. Several bags of chips, along with some crackers and desserts... my mind was going nuts.

"Will these do?" The woman asked as she held up a few bags of assorted chips. Both Thalia and I nodded hungrily. She smiled again and brought them over- in addition to a soda for Thalia. I almost hesitated to think what the sugar would do to her already hyper-active mind.

Still, though, it was no concern of mine as I greedily began to chug the first water. My parched throat would have cried in bliss had it been able to talk; but the feeling was absolutely amazing. I felt the fatigue that weighed so heavily on my body slowly begin to ebb away as the liquid H2O began to re-hydrate my body and restore my powers.

This so far, contended as the best day ever.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Thalia munching down the food and drinking her soda as if the world would end in a few minutes. She had no problem finishing off one bag, and part of me was incredibly glad- she'd looked utterly ragged. Maybe some food would do her some good.

"So," I said, in between breaths as I drank the second bottle- this time, more calm than before. "What's the price for this?"

Thalia gave no indication that she heard me, but the woman just smiled sadly.

"I know you refer to what I'm going to ask of you. But, be calm, I am on your side."

My eyes instinctively narrowed. "Our side?"

She nodded. "Yes, you are seeking refuge from the gods? You do not like them- neither do I."

"You don't?" I asked, confused. To say she _knew _who the gods were and she knew our mission wasn't very calming. But to hear that she didn't like them wasn't good, either.

She sighed and stood up. "No; I was... attacked, by one of them. Zeus, actually." At that, Thalia froze. "He did not appreciate me much for who I was and what I did. I can honestly say, however, I'd do it a million times over and die more painfully each time."

I shivered. Those were some steep words. It was hard to imagine what she could have done to provoke Zeus to attack her. Although he was extremely temperamental and prideful, he was still a god- and the King, no less. For him to purposely strike down a mortal (I assumed her to be mortal), he must have been extremely angry.

"W-what did you do?" Thalia asked, swallowing loudly. I couldn't tell her expression's meaning, if she was going to defend her father or become outraged at him. Neither one, at the moment, would be beneficial.

She smiled sadly, once again. "I protected my children."

I felt a pang of remorse claw into my heart; that's what my mother had done. This woman had done the exact same thing my mother had. I faintly found myself wondering if my mom would say the same thing, about doing it again. Thalia had the same look, I realized. Her mother, as bad as she could be, had done the same... in her own way.

"That is beside my request, however." The woman's sudden words brought me out of my reserve. "I need you to find two demigods."

In a second, both Thalia and I were immediately in protestor mode. Thalia was more angry and defensive than I was.

Okay, she was a _lot _angrier and more defensive. That's just her nature, though.

"We _can't _go looking for demigods!" Thalia said angrily. I knew this subject didn't sit well with her; not since the betrayal. "They'll just as soon kill us, regardless of who we are and what we do for them!"

I half-downheartedly agreed. While I hadn't had the misfortune of coming into close contact or trusting any demigod much, Thalia wasn't the same. I knew that she was still plagued by the betrayal and would likely never give it up as long as she lived.

The woman held up her hand. She looked at the both of us with a penetrating, but soft, gaze. "I know you have both faced segregation. I would not have come here and asked the two of you specifically had it not been safe for you. Because you see, these two will _not _cause you any harm or betray you." Neither of us missed the sad look she shot Thalia, as if she knew about the betrayal.

"How would they not hurt us? It's almost biologically imprinted for them to try and kill anyone who is a kid of the Big Three," Thalia said grumpily. I could tell she was still angry, but she was more off-set by the fact that someone knew of her past.

Truth be told, so was I.

"Because... they, too, are children of the Big Three."

I think time froze at that moment. Neither I, nor Thalia, knew what to say to the news.

We weren't alone.

There were more of us, and they weren't dead. I wasn't sure if I should cry in joy at knowing there were more of us, or just pinch myself to test if I was dreaming. I couldn't believe it, really.

"What?" Thalia breathed out.

The woman could probably tell our amazement and suddenly fried brains, because she smiled lightly and even chuckled quietly.

"I will leave you a map; it'll enclose all the details you need. Farewell, my young demigods. I wish you luck. You will see me again."

Before I could say a word, the woman was gone- vanished. Like she was a ghost.

I glanced over at Thalia, who was still stunned by the news. I don't think I've ever seen her so "shocked".

Okay, that was awful; I'm sorry...

"I'm..." I trailed off. My own nerves were outmatching my voice. "I'm going to go take a shower..."

Thalia wordlessly nodded as she took a seat on the bed, probably trying to decipher what was going on. Not that I could blame her; it was still a pretty big shock.

I walked into the bathroom, closed the door, got my clothes off, and was lost to the steamy water that flowed from the shower-head.

* * *

It was no pool; but I was greatly relieved to find that a vast majority of my wounds- the small ones- had healed over in the hot water. The bruises, for the most part, had faded and there was no longer a lagging pain that stung my wounds with every move I made. Many small cuts were closed and the scars that would have remained had faded into the skin.

I couldn't help but smile in joy; for the first time, things were going our way.

As I stepped out of the shower and shivered as the cooler air washed over me. I almost already missed the steamy confines of the shower, but I knew I had to get out and save _some _hot water for Thalia. Otherwise, she'd have me wishing I was made of rubber.

The big perk of being a son of Poseidon meant that I could become dry whenever I wanted- no need of a towel. It certainly came in handy whenever I needed to go into the water and I only had one set of clothes. At the moment, however, I contemplated drying myself off manually. For some reason, the feeling wasn't the same whenever I chose to become dry.

I grabbed a black towel off the towel ring and quickly dried off my arms and hair. My damp, messy black hair fell close to my eyes, but I brushed it aside and proceeded to dry off my torso and back. Finally, I finished my legs and wrapped the towel around my waist. I spared myself a glance in the mirror- not for vanity purposes, but examination purposes.

I almost winced.

My torso was a bit littered with small scars, one large scar running from just beneath my armpit down to my hipbone. On my back, once again, a few white scars lined the skin and stood as very noticeable. For the most part, my small minor wounds had healed over, but I could see evidence of some of the larger, deeper wounds. On my thigh stood a very prominent sword slice. It was scabbed over and healing crudely, but still healing nonetheless.

A few colorful bruises still remained on my arms, but most had faded in the water. In all; I looked like Hades had paid me a visit a few months ago. Which, wasn't too far from the truth.

"Percy!" I sighed; it was like having a bad roommate. "Are you _ever _going to pry yourself away from shower to let me in?!"

I smirked- a bit evilly, I might add. It didn't help that I could see myself in the mirror and found an odd comparison between my face and the cartoon version of the _Grinch Who Stole Christmas_. The only difference was I wasn't green and my hair didn't curl weirdly as I smirked.

"Whatever you say, Thalia..." I said quietly.

Now, before I tell you what happened, I want you to know that I have no idea _why _I did what I did. It wasn't even... evil. It was just, weird- even for me. But still, it was totally worth it.

I opened the door- ignoring the flush of steam that flowed from the bathroom's door- and walked past Thalia who was now beet-red. See, I seemed to think that wearing only a towel was going to be a great "prank". Sadly, I think part of me believes it was.

Thalia didn't say anything- not like she really could, either. I mean, what do you say to a guy who's literally pretty much naked?

My next comment told me exactly what I had. "Like what you see?"

I had a death-wish.

Thalia sputtered, her face completely red with embarrassment. Yet, oddly enough, she didn't out-right deny it- she just slammed the bathroom door and took refuge inside the steamy room, completely sealed off from me. I was a bit intrigued by her lack of retort, but I yawned and merely chalked it up to fatigue clouding her mind. I knew I was tired, so it seemed reasonable.

I didn't even bother putting pants- or a shirt- though, and fell onto the bed. I guess I was more tired than I thought, because the bed seemed to form a cocoon around me and alluring me into a deep, peaceful slumber.

Before I knew it; I was out like a light.

* * *

_So I figured out, sadly, I don't have the capacity to write more than like, 3 thousand words per chapter :'(. But! I will keep trying and though I was not overly pleased with this chapter, I think moving into Thalia's perspective and getting things back on-track will be highly beneficial. So if you're a new reader, I'd highly suggest not judging me on just this chapter, and sticking around for one or two more. _

_But you may do as you wish, of course. Thank you for taking time to read this, though! Especially even more-so if you reviewed, favorited or put this to your alerts! You're the people that make this story possible! _

_Finally, reading recommendations:_

_Blueper has an excellent story "Faded Past, Renewed Future" going on. An extremely good story with Zoe and Reyna featured within- and takes place during the second prophecy. If you like Zoe as a character, I'd highly suggest checking this out.  
_

_Urias Invictus has an interesting 'what-if' story going on in "Everchanging Possibilities". It's featuring Calypso, yet another daughter of the Titans, and also features a few characters you might just fall for! If you like Nikolai's, I'd give this one a chance! _

_Both stories hold a lot of promise, and I'd say check 'em. I'll be around the community, looking for great stories to highlight, so stay tuned, and thanks!_


	4. Tired

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson. Because if I said I did, not only would I be lying, but I'd probably be off, not on FanFiction.

_I don't have too much to say, for once.__ Just two things:  
_

_1) Go check out my new story "Sons of the Seas". It's going to be a long, multi-book series that features the Romans, Greeks and Scandinavian culture in an epic three-way showdown to help prevent the end of the world. It'll be a riot man. _

_2) If you've done anything in regards to putting this as a favorite, alert or review, give yourself a pat on the back. You did a great thing and I owe you. Not dinner; but like, a thumb's up or something._

* * *

_Chapter 4_

_Tired  
_

_Thalia Grace_

Have I ever told anyone how much I despite that sea-spawn son of Poseidon? No?

Well I hate him sometimes.

It's probably got a lot to do with the fact that he's irritatingly nice sometimes, then he's a completely gigantic idiot who has no idea what he's doing. I mean, it's bad some days, but others... he makes me want to punch a boulder.

It's that bad.

That's not even including the times where he does stupid things to me. _Like walking out of the bathroom, wearing nothing but a towel!_

I sighed and pressed my head against the wall as the hot water cascaded down my back and rolled off my skin. I couldn't even begin to describe how well it felt- the last shower I got was quite a ways back, and it wasn't necessarily warm. I'm still not even sure if it was water or not, but the fish that I call Percy seemed to be defending it pretty fiercely, so I suppose it was water.

I swear, that boy spends more time in water than he does on land.

But my thoughts drifted from how nice the water felt, to our new 'mission'. Not only had the circumstances about getting information been weird, but the overall aspect was incredibly... unbelievable. Not only were there two other kids of the Big Three; but they were safe- sort of. Maybe there was a chance we could stay with them?

_No_, I thought. _That's stupid. You heard the lady- they need saving. Why would they be safe? _

I sighed again. Life sucks.

I don't even remember turning off the water; I just remember stepping into a pair of fresh clothes and ending up outside the bathroom in a daze. I suppose most of it had to do with the fatigue that overwhelmed my body. Still though, I could barely think as I collapsed onto the bed- which was surprisingly solid. It almost reminded me of a person.

"You know, Thals, if you wanted to get closer to me, all you had to do was ask."

_Shit._

My record time for getting off a bed was over 3 minutes. This time, I shattered the national record.

I was on my feet in milliseconds and I had the deepest, darkest glare I could manage set on Percy. He was _still_ in that gods-forsaken towel!

"Shut up! What're you doing!?" I all but yelled. I admit, it probably wasn't a very Thalia-like thing to do, but I was way too tired to be putting up with his stupidity. I needed sleep.

He shrugged on the bed. "Sleeping; or at least, I was..."

I huffed indignantly. "It's not _my _fault, if that's what you are implying."

"No," he said. "It's not. Do you want the bed?"

My glare softened and I felt my heart prickle a little. Why would he offer me the bed? He'd already skipped out on night of sleep- something I had not forgotten- just so I could get some more rest. He kinda deserved the bed at this point.

"N-no," I said, shaking my head. What was wrong with my voice? Why stutter? Seeing his eyebrows raise as he rolled over to look at me, I felt my face heat slightly. Damn this boy for messing with my mind- damn my mind for being so girly.

Now, I admit it. Percy Jackson, as much of a fish-faced, kelp-brained dork as he was, was also extremely attractive. I _hated _admitting that, but my body and my heart could always override my brain. What wasn't to like about him? He was sweet. Sickeningly sweet, sometimes, but still sweet nonetheless. He was also very strong and reliable. He never intentionally hurt someone close to him. He'd do anything for you if you asked nicely.

He was a great person; and he _looked _like a great person, too. Strong muscles, lean body, and tanned skin like he'd hung out with Apollo too much?

Percy Jackson was a girl's best nightmare because he _looked _and _seemed _perfect- yet, he was so naive and innocent, I don't even know if he knows what romance is.

"Thalia?" Curses. I zoned out- _again_.

"Yeah?"

"You were... out of it. Talking to someone in your head?" Yep; typical Jackson.

I snorted, because it was almost right. I wasn't talking... I was thinking to my stupid lovey-dovey side. I thought Aphrodite's kids were the ones who had the whole, hot-not thing going on in their head. Not a daughter of Zeus.

"No, just thinking. We should really-" I paused. "YOU should really put some clothes on! THEN we should look at that map that lady left us; we still need a location."

Percy nodded- almost eagerly- and lunged off the bed like a jungle cat. I had to close my eyes to make sure I didn't see anything _underneath _the towel that would further invoke comments from my stupid hormonal side.

Sure; Jackson is cute.

But I don't do cute and I don't do romance.

* * *

I almost had the insatiable urge to pound Percy's head into the table as he 'studied' the map. His perfect bearings at sea were almost scary- but they were useful as all get-out. Knowing where we were was imperative to surviving. On land, however, Percy's bearings were about as accurate as a foreign tourist's. In other words; I never let him handle directions.

And apparently, maps were included in that.

"C'mon!" I finally shouted. "You've been staring at that map for nearly half-an-hour! Where are we going?!"

Percy shrugged. "You do realize my dyslexia is a bit worse than yours, right?"

I frowned; he was going into _that _again. He was right, though. A while back, we'd made a rest-stop at a clinic area for... some stuff. This was back when we first began traveling. We started at around... 12. Percy was discovered after his step-father... well, we'll leave it at he was discovered at 12. I was discovered at 10, and had made the trek with two other people to a 'safe-place', before getting betrayed and almost killed.

Percy and I had met up and traveled together in suspicion- but one time, I figured out what puberty was and we needed to make a stop a walk-in clinic. Whilst we were there, we were tested for a few things due to our ragged condition we'd walked in with. It was discovered, somehow, that Percy's ADHD _and _dyslexia were both worse than my own- albeit, only slightly.

But it made me wonder why. To this day, we still don't know why some demigods have it worse than others, but Percy's is among the worse I've seen. My companions had, like all demigods, ADHD and dyslexia, but theirs wasn't that bad. In fact; it wasn't much of a hindrance. Mine, on the other hand, made my life a living mission to Tartarus.

Somehow, though, I found the _one _person who has a worse state than I do. Impressive, I'd say.

"Fine." I snatched the map and faced it toward me. Despite his inability to read it, Percy shuffled his location so that he was slightly behind me and able to view it once again. I almost wanted to poke fun at his inability in reading the map, but I realized the reason that he couldn't read it- there were marks _all _over the paper.

The legend markers, the parks, roads, highways, all those markings made the text small and cluttered- the one thing that made our lives impossible. Neither of us would be able to read the map.

Unless...

I walked over to the cabinet and pulled a cup out from the pantry. I ignored Percy's look of wonder as I filled the cup up and splashed it on Percy's face. His hair, which had dried, was now sopping wet again as he'd been caught off-guard. He sputtered and willed himself dry, before fixating me with a glare.

"What was _that _for?"

I ignored his question. "Where are we?"

"I don't know," He said grouchily. "That only works when I'm over the ocean. Being splashed in the face isn't quite the same as the Atlantic."

There went that plan.

"But." Maybe there is hope after all? "I can read the map... it's still hard to read, but I think that might have temporarily cleared my head."

I watched, hopeful, as Percy began to study the map- this time, I saw his sea-green eyes moving from left to right as he took in the roads and crudely penciled in trails we'd have to take in order to reach the spot in which our two new demigods were hidden within. His brow furrowed and he lightly bit on his bottom lip as he seemed to further analyze the trail.

Minutes passed and Percy remained quiet. I was barely fending off the urge to blurt out a question- curse ADHD.

"Well?" I finally asked.

He was silent a minute longer- that minute driving me insane- before he gave me a slight smile and tapped his temple.

"I've got it. We're going to be heading to Las Vegas."

Las Vegas? What in the names of Hades were they doing in Las Vegas? There wasn't any sort of reprieve there- was there?

Percy seemed to be thinking along the same lines as I was, because he seemed to lose the smile and adopt a slightly frown in place. His sea-green eyes seemed to be a deep kaleidoscope of confusion as he contemplated the destination we had now set.

"The map said... '_Hotel Lotus and Casino_' as their location..." I, for one, had never heard of Hotel Lotus and Casino. It sounded like the wrong place we'd find two demigods- assuming they were under 21. "Why would they be in a casino?"

I shrugged. "Maybe they're on break?"

Percy shot me a dirty look, to which I matched. He sighed and scratched the back of his head; his hand disappearing underneath the mop of dark hair. I held back a smile; he _really _needed a haircut.

"And," Percy added. "A hotel. Doesn't it make sense that they'd only temporarily stay there? What do we do when they move?"

"Perce, calm down. I know this is stressful- and confusing as Styx- but we gotta remain calm, 'kay?" He nodded and took a breath. As he drew in, I noticed the dark bags underneath his eyes- this behavior was, no doubt, a side-effect of the minimal sleep he'd been getting. "We'll find 'em. I seriously doubt a mysterious woman would just, let us lose those two after telling us."

"Calm down? Thalia, maybe you don't get it- these are _two _demigods that are in the same situation as us!" My eyes narrowed at his tone. Like I didn't know what was going on? I knew _better _than he did!

"I know! Don't get snappy with me!"

He growled. I could feel the air around me becoming more humid- but I wasn't sure if it was because of my powers or his. I honestly didn't care- I was going to fry him.

Just as I raised my hand to deliver a powerful electrical shock, I caught a glimpse into his eye- like, I saw him for _him. _Now, this is a fact, I don't know anything about Percy's past- he knows about mine, and my... _mother_, but that's because I needed someone to confide in. As for him? I don't know a single thing about his past- it's more mysterious than the Underworld.

He's got a great wall of defense set up; completely impenetrable. Until now. For a split second, I could see in.

He looked so tired.

We both were; I mean, we've been running from the gods for... a few years at this point. I lost count- but I started with Percy when I was 14. I assume he was the same age. We'd been running now for just about 3 years and we haven't gotten... anywhere, really. We're alive, but each day is just another battle, and neither of us can survive everything. I think when one of us falls...

The other will go down, too.

Percy was angry- I don't know why- but he was angry and tired of this running cycle. I was, too. I was angry, tired, annoyed... if there was a synonym for angry, that applies to me.

Just that glimpse though, and I could see so much into his mind- it was like dealing with a whole new person, if even for a second. And when I looked into his mind, I could tell, he wasn't mad _at _me... he was mad _along side _me. But how often can you express your hate toward the gods without them realizing where you are and how to kill you?

So...

I lowered my hand and looked at Percy slightly guiltily. He gave me a confused look- I realized he hadn't noticed his slip-up. Or maybe he didn't care. It could've been either one- but it didn't matter. He still needed sleep. We both did.

"What?" He asked. I almost winced at his rough tone- but I reminded myself, he wasn't mad.

He was tired.

"Nothing. I'm sorry... guess I just need some sleep."

That must have been enough, because Percy's face softened immediately, and his eyes turned slightly downcast. Leave it to the seaweed brain to begin to feel guilty for starting a fight. He was too good for his own good...

"Me too... let's just get some rest, and then discuss this further," Percy advised. I nodded, satisfied with that solution. It wasn't perfect- but nothing in our lives was perfect. It was close enough.

I walked over to the bed, and laid down in it. The comforter wasn't plushy like a cloud, but compared to the cold, hard ground I'd been sleeping on, it felt like I was in a queen's bed. I felt my muscles immediately relax, and a huge wave of fatigue just wash over me. My eyelids grew heavy, and I looked over at Percy to see if he was as relaxed as I was.

I didn't expect to see him setting up on the floor.

"What're you doing?" I asked. He looked up at me in surprise, but frowned ever so slightly before answering.

"Uh, going to sleep?"

I rolled my eyes. "On the floor?"

"Well, yeah." He said it as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You get the bed, so I get the floor. Isn't that how it works?"

I sighed. So naive.

"Come on," I said, patting the bed next to me. Now, I know what you're thinking: a guy and girl in the same bed? Scandalous! Well, screw you- I'm not a daughter of Aphrodite, otherwise, you'd have every right to say that. He slowly rose, the idea of a cozy bed versus sleeping in the same bed as me seemed to be battling out in his head.

I almost smiled- it was kind of touching to see his hesitance. I knew he wouldn't do anything inappropriate to me- we'd slept in each other's presence before and he'd never done anything when he could've. I failed to see how this could change anything.

Finally, it seemed his self-will had crumbled, because I found him sliding under the sheets, clad in some shorts that he'd probably use for two weeks or until they were burnt off. He seemed hesitant and nervous still, and I found myself suppressing a chuckle. Good ole' Seaweed Brain.

"You know, I'm not going to bite," I reassured.

He rolled his eyes, but flashed me a small smile. I felt my chest tighten ever so slightly... maybe I was skittish to the idea of a male so close? "Are you sure?"

I stuck my tongue out, but fell back into my pillow. The light on the nightstand went off as Percy leaned over me- which was weird; my body seemed to almost want him to fall...- and we were left in the dark.

As I felt sleep overcoming my senses, I decided to ask something that had been weighing on my mind since we'd heard about these two new demigods.

"Percy? Do you think we'll save those two kids?"

He was silent a moment, but then, his deep voice filled the silence.

"Yeah. We will. I promise that much."

And I believed him.

* * *

_So there's chapter 3- kind of a filler, I know. Not very interesting, but it gives a few small hints for things if you are looking at them. Percy's past, romantic tensions, new demigods, all this stuff. _

_I've been released from the hospital, so hopefully, there's no more cause for delay, but I warn you, I'm not out of the woods yet. Hopefully I can get back to my writing ways of a clear head and make these awesome again. You all rock! Remember the poll and the new story! Thanks! Happy July!_


	5. Daughter of Blood

Disclaimer: I do not own Percy Jackson. Besides; I think our world is the fake one. It seems too boring to be real.

_So... I think a few of you might have maybe noticed my absence? Yeah... sorry about that... I've been in the hospital repeatedly and, honestly, my mental toughness has been grit to the barebones. I didn't want to submit a crap chapter, because I felt like that'd be disrespectful and a waste of your time, but at the same time, nothing at all isn't good either. It's a lose-lose. _

_Still though, guess I'll submit this now and fix it when I begin to heal. I'm sorry. I'm just... very, very weak. So here. Thank you so deeply for all the support, however, it means a lot._

* * *

_Chapter 5  
On the Road  
_

_Thalia Grace_

Three days have passed, and the amount of words exchanged between Percy Jackson and I amount to about... ten. We haven't greeted each other in the morning, haven't spoken during meals, and we certainly haven't made eye-contact. I once believed that a break like this would be the greatest moment among my life- there would be no fighting; only peace.

I now realize how wrong I was to think that.

It's been nothing short of miserable. I have no one to confide in, no one to talk to, no one to explode at (I feel guilty about that) and last of all, no one to relate to. Without Jackson... things seem less... survivable.

Now that we sit on a bus, speeding toward Las Vegas, I really, _really _regret blowing up at him. Because, honestly, what he did wasn't even that bad. I just... lost control.

* * *

_"PERCY JACKSON, WHAT IN HADES NAME ARE YOU DOING?!" _

_Percy, his face dazed with the remnants of sleep and his eyes clouded with fatigue, looked at me, slightly confused. I could see general unaware in his eyes, but I chose to ignore it- this time, I'd have my rage settled undisturbed. _

_Before he even got the chance to talk, I exploded again. _

_"I SAID SLEEP IN THE BED; NOT USE ME AS YOUR 'TEDDY BEAR'!" I could see Percy's face contort into confusion, but never once did his eyes flash with recognition. He'd been blissfully unaware of what he was doing- but I didn't care.  
_

_"I... what?" Percy mumbled quietly. The question seemed more to himself as he seemed to be talking with his unconscious side, but I took it as a moment to 'enlighten' him. _

_"You," I said, poking him painfully in the chest. I could feel pangs of electricity emitting from my fingers as I prodded him directly in his shirtless chest, but for some reason, I didn't care about hurting him. My pride was wounded- I couldn't let it go unavenged.  
_

_"Used me. As. A TEDDY BEAR!" I yelled the last part, in hopes of him recognizing his error. He didn't._

_In fact, he just seemed more confused. "I don't know... I didn't?"_

_I leered at him. "You didn't? No? Then explain to my why I woke up with you snuggling into my side and holding onto me like I was your helpless girl?" _

_His face, formerly confused, took on the look of someone insulted one too many times. His eyes morphed from confused and dazed to alert and angered. I could practically see the ocean's anger and wounded pride inside his sea-green orbs. _

_"Look, I don't know what you're talking about, but I can confidently say you're overreacting."_

_I glowered. "Then I guess you can confidently say you're an idiot, too?" _

_"I just woke up," he scoffed to himself. "I don't need this now. Come find me when you've calmed down." His bitterness and anger seeped through each word as he stood up and threw a shirt on angrily. Before I had the chance to do anything, he was already walking out of our hotel room and had slammed to door behind him._

* * *

I had eventually chased after him, yelled at him some more, and we'd both practically taken a vow of silence regarding each other. Looking back, I realize that chasing him and further berating him when he'd obviously gone through measures to avoid confrontation like that probably wasn't my best idea. Nor was it my nicest idea.

Then, as I looked back farther, insulting him pride was also a mistake. Even though I wasn't my father and he wasn't Poseidon, we had both taken on the personality of our fathers, respectively. I had some mild paranoia and some pride issues- along with major compulsive blaming issues. Percy took in pride issues; that was all I could visibly see. There was probably more under the surface- there always was.

So, with my insulting remarks toward his pride and all probably didn't do very well with his mood. And to think, the whole scenario began because I woke up to him holding me against his chest.

Worse yet; I was obviously enjoying it, because I'd wrapped my arms tightly around his torso.

I had yelled at him, even though it was _my _fault just as much as his. I yelled because I was... scared.

You heard right; I, Thalia Grace, daughter of Zeus and survivor of multiple godly attacks, was afraid of being physically close to the son of Poseidon. It wasn't because of our differing fathers, or our odd relationship- it was because he was Percy and I was Thalia. And I didn't want to get attached to him, because everyone that gets close, leaves.

I stared outside as the trees zoomed by and the sky seemed to chase us. I watched as the suns rays avoided our bus, almost as if Apollo knew of our location and didn't want to bless us with the sunlight. Everything seemed far more depressing at the moment, and I was almost tempted to just curl up and merge with the seats of the bus.

This was all my fault.

"Why do I have to be so difficult...?" I mumbled to myself. I placed my head into my hands and sighed softly in a futile effort to clear my head. As I expected, nothing got better, even as I covered my eyes.

"Sometimes, things must be at their worst before they can get better." I heard the voice, but I didn't bother looking up. If there was anyone there, they surely weren't talking to a hormonal, homeless-looking teenage girl who was mumbling to herself.

After a few moments of nothing but the bus's engine and the quiet words exchanged between nearby passengers, I gave up on trying to hear anything- or, rather, any_one_.

That didn't stop a young feminine voice from speaking again. "Don't feel hopeless. Not yet."

This time, I looked up. My eyes settled on a young girl- no older than 12- who was sitting on the seat in front of me. Her warm red eyes were peeking over the leather seat and her face seemed innocent. But I wasn't drawn in by her face- I was drawn to her eyes. They seemed so... familiar. They gave me the warm and cozy feeling that something like a fireplace or warm log cabin would give me in the winter time.

Even then, however, I felt suspicious of the girl. I mean, what kind of young girl just randomly talks cryptic?

"What?" I asked. I sounded a bit stupid, but worse things had happened than sounding dumb.

She giggled. "You know what I said."

Great; a creepy little girl to go with this hellish day.

"Yeah..." I said slowly. "But what do you mean?"

I could feel her warm red eyes analyzing my face and even deeper than the skin. She was practically analyzing my soul. She spoke, her giggly-tone gone, replaced with the tone of someone who'd seen the evils of the world.

"What do you think I mean?"

I had a dozen answers I could have given. They could have been sarcastic, smart-assed, asinine, serious, joking, angry... there was no limit to the amount of answers I could have given this girl; but for some reason, I felt the need to be honest with her. Maybe I was going a bit crazy, but I felt like I needed someone to talk to, and since Percy was mad at me, she would have to do.

So, I began. "I think you mean there's still hope for my life? And even though I'm sure you could never imagine it, you mean to tell me that I can still 'fix' everything wrong, right?"

"Exactly!" She beamed. I sighed; poor, naive little girl.

"Well, that's not how this is going to work..." I mumbled. I wanted to bury my head back in my hands, but I had engaged myself in this conversation and was now inclined to finish it. "Not everything can be fixed with a magic wand like you see in those movies."

"Why not?"

"Because this isn't a movie."

"No... it's not. But it's not set in stone, either."

This little girl, for how old she appeared, was _sage_. I don't think I've ever carried on a conversation with a kid this old, only to have her dissect my depression and make me seem foolish for being upset.

"How do you know?" I asked quietly. The bus seemed to have gone silent, but I knew it was just us two in this conversation- no one else.

She gave me a small smile. "I always know. Hope never relents; and those that hope, will always find a way to fix something."

"You really think you know what I've been through, don't you?"

To my surprise, the girl didn't answer- or even attempt to answer. She just completely changed topic, like I hadn't even asked a question.

"Do you trust?"

I scoffed. If she'd asked me anything else at this point, I probably wouldn't have given a single rational answer- she was just that cryptic. But, somehow, she knew exactly which questions to ask because I found myself answering it truthfully. Even more, I found myself thinking back on all that had happened- my mother and her death, my dad and his siblings trying to murder me, my friends betraying me... I knew no one could be relied on.

"No."

She gave me a weak smile. "Nobody?"

I almost immediately answered with a strong 'no', but something clicked in my head. I _did _trust someone.

_One person_.

"Only one."

That seemed the light up the girl's eyes, as they seemed to glow a brighter, warmer red the second I finished speaking.

"I am not that one, am I?"

It was my turn to not answer- partially because I didn't want to hurt the girl's feelings and have her start to bawl, but also because I didn't quite hear her. My eyes were now centered on the one person I trusted. He was sleeping peacefully, despite the racket that was going on beside him as a girl and her boyfriend fought loudly- which had probably been the reason for the bus going silent.

"You have a rough road ahead, daughter of Zeus. Not everyone is your enemy- but they will become such if you continue to treat everyone as one. Rest; you will need it."

Before I even had a moment to question how this girl knew my parentage, or what she knew about our mission, I felt my eyes grow heavy. A thick blanket of fatigue coated my body and I seemed to begin to lose coherence as I slid against the wall of the bus; completely and utterly defenseless.

The last thing I heard before I completely passed out was, "Do you trust anyone, daughter of Zeus?"

_"No one but him..."_

* * *

The first thing I noticed was that the sky was _pissed_. I'm talking lightning bolts flying from everywhere, thunder so loud the ground seemed to tremble beneath my feet, and rain so hard that I felt like I was in the midst of a rock war. The second thing I noticed was that I was in the heart of a large city- buildings towered above me in every direction.

I took in only one look before I realized I was standing in Las Vegas- but definitely not present day Vegas. It was far less futuristic than I knew it to be, seeing as how my mother once took me to Vegas for one of her gambling trips. This was Vegas, but in the past.

"Come, children. We must not be slackers."

That voice. My eyebrows furrowed and I began to search my brain for the owner of that voice, because there was one thing I knew- I knew that voice. I turned behind me to see a man in a simple black suit walking with two children in tow- a boy about 5 years old and a girl about 7. They both had olive-tinted skin and were wearing older looking clothes.

The man that was with them, presumably their father, gave off a distinct aura of power that I could barely stand in the presence of. I caught a single glimpse of his eyes- dark, like coal, but filled with the pain and suffering of a thousand millennium. To me, he seemed fearsome and someone I could understand to avoid if found in a dark alley.

But at the same time, those eyes held a certain kindred warmth for the two children that tailed him so closely. They seemed to be afraid of the storm that was brewing overhead; afraid as if it was going to come down and strike them in a single instance. I almost snorted; my dad wasn't nice, but he wasn't someone who killed innocents, either.

Just as I was about to chase after the small family, they came to a stop in front of a large building with a bright neon sign that I could read, even with my dyslexia.

_Lotus Hotel and Casino._

Probably not the first place I'd take my two young kids if I had any, but hey, what do I know?

I watched as the man spoke to the bellhop at the front- the two seemed to be sharing a rather deep conversation, as the man continuously glanced around to be sure no one was watching or spying in on them. I wondered, for a second, if he was trying to bribe the bellhop into letting his two kids come inside with him.

Then, to my surprise, the smiling bellhop nodded and held out his hand. The man took it, shook it once, and dropped some glinting gold coins into his open palm, before turning to his kids. He didn't appear to say anything- he merely knelt down and hugged the boy, before he turned and hugged the girl. I couldn't hear what he said, but I saw the girl nod once to him as she brushed away the tears that began to form in her eyes.

The bellhop, still smiling, took the two children inside and didn't look back- but that didn't stop the two kids from giving their father one last fleeting glance before they disappeared inside the bright lighted lobby of the casino/hotel.

I walked forward, unsure if the man would be able to see me- demigod dream or not, I wasn't sure what the extension of my presence was. I didn't know if I was a mere spectator in something important, or if I was a real person in a big decision that would actually impact my future.

Before I had the chance to find out, the sky rumbled deeply, as if angered by the departure of the two children. I saw the man's eyes grow even darker, before he began to grow in size. The suit he was wearing faded and was replaced by a Greek cloak that shimmered mysteriously. As I looked closer, I realized that it was the souls of the dead that were contained within the cloak. It wrapped around the man's body and a helm appeared on his head.

It only took me one second to realize that I was in the presence of Hades; Lord of the Underworld. I fought the urge to bow- and the even more prominent urge to scream at him and curse him to oblivion.

"WHAT?!" Hades roared. It was a good thing I was seemingly invisible, because I couldn't imagine facing that after hearing his voice. To think I wanted to chew him out... it seemed much easier when he was only about six foot. "HAVE YOU NOT TAKEN ENOUGH?!"

The thunder cracked once again, and the sky lit up in a bright flash- almost like a flashbang going off in the sky.

"Maria is _dead _because of you! DEAD! WHY MUST MY CHILDREN BE NEXT?!"

If it had been anyone other than Hades, I probably would have questioned his motive for yelling at the sky- in extension, my father. I would have questioned his sanity and his overall mental health, because to mortals, yelling at the sky was grounds for insane. For immortals or demigods, yelling at the sky was also insane, but only because of what would happen to you once you started.

"I did nothing to you... nothing to _any _of you. Yet you feel the need to break my spirit. To break what I created. Why?"

The thunder rumbled ominously, and I had the feeling like it wasn't a good remark made. It had a lot to do with the tone of the thunder- yes, thunder has tones- and then there was also the dark look that crossed Hades's face as his lip turned into a snarl.

"We shall see who has wronged whom. Prepare yourself, _brother_." I couldn't help but notice the utter contempt and bitterness held within the word. "Your precious oracle will naught be the same after this. Nothing will be."

The ground opened up, a massive crevice, and swallowed up Hades- and, by sheer luck, me as well. I fell down, down, down into the dark earth as I felt my spirit move into the underworld. Just as I was about to hit the bottom, I heard a voice in my ear whisper.

"Save them. You will not be the hero; but you will save them. Do as I couldn't..."

* * *

"THALIA!"

I jolted upward, my heart racing. My eyes were wide and my palms were sweaty. I barely took notice of the stationary bus; I was too jostled to even move at the moment. Percy, obviously slightly over the grudge between us, looked at me worriedly. For a second, I compared the warmth and openness of his deep sea-green eyes as compared to Hades dark and anguish-filled coal-like eyes.

There were almost no similarities.

"Woah," He said, taking notice of my state. "You okay?"

I didn't answer; that was all the answer I needed.

All I could think about was that dream and what it meant.

"Come on," Percy said as slung my arm over his broad shoulders. His warm skin did little to ease my own clammy skin. "We gotta get you some fresh air."

As he lifted me up and I numbly began walking, I realized _why _I was so shaken up. I realized what the dreamt meant on a deeper level.

It meant my father had murdered someone close to Hades- and he had attempted to murder Hades's children.

It meant my father was a murderer.

* * *

_Ta-da! A fast-paced chapter that I have no idea how it looks. I'm so tired guys, I'm sorry... it's hard being tested and having blood drawn constantly. So please, accept my apologies.  
_

_Uhh, thank you to all who have reviewed and I'll try to be faster next time! Thank you all!_


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